Shakriya 

Shakriya is a Syrian dish with hot yoghurt stew, lamb and pine nuts, as well as spices and herbs, served with frikeh (roasted green wheat) or rice. 

Shakriya can be made from chicken or lamb, and its name comes from the Arabic word ‘shukr’, which means to thank. Given the relative luxury of the ingredients, plenty of meat and the richness of the yogurt.  It is served during Ramadan and Easter . 

The concept of yogurt soup is specific to the mountainous regions, where dairy farming reigns strong and there is an abundance of milk. 

Ingredients: 

1. 2 pounds lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), cut into chunks 

2. 3 cups of water 

3. 4 tablespoons salt, divided 

4. 1 large yellow onion, diced into medium-sized cubes 

5. 2 pounds plain yogurt 

6. 2 tablespoons cornstarch 

7. 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted for garnish 

Preparation: 

1.  Preheat the Instant Pot on the Sauté function. Place the lamb chunks in the Instant Pot; add the water and 2 tablespoons of the salt, and bring to a boil. When the impurities start to float, skim them off and discard, then add the onion. Once boiling. Cover the Pot. Set the timer to 40 minutes. 

2. In a blender, add the yogurt and cornstarch, and mix on high speed until thoroughly incorporated. Pour the mixture into a saucepan over medium-low heat and stir the yoghurt in one direction only until boiling. 

3. With a colander, strain the lamb while reserving the broth. Season with the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. 

4. Add the cooked lamb to the yogurt sauce along with 1 cup of the reserved stock. Bring to a simmer. 

5. Serve in a bowl with roast pine nuts over the top and rice on the side.  

Lara Khouli